• Earthquake and a hurricane in less than a week? Never thought either of those would be on the front page of The Evening Sun in a local story, but the times they are a changin’. When I was a kid, the weather was a segment on the news. Nowadays, it is the news.

• Using words like “nowadays” makes me seem wise beyond my years, no?

• As you might have surmised from Brian’s column-long whine today, our little Lackawanna Ave. newsroom did indeed spring a nasty leak thanks to Hurricane Irene. What began as an annoying drip during the last spring thaw multiplied into a deluge over Mr. Golden’s cubicle on Sunday, temporarily making him a newsroom refugee. Not to worry, I saw guys with ladders outside the building this afternoon. That must be a good sign.

• Had a fantastic time under the big top last night as the Norwich BID and Friends of the Park finally cut the ribbon on the downtown parks renovation project. Talk about a long time in coming … in Evening Sun measurements, that story was four reporters long! Congrats to everyone involved who donated time, labor, money and inspiration along the way, and especially to Pegi LoPresti and Eric Larsen, without whose tireless work we’d still be looking at the same-old, same-old. Naysayers be damned, I think parks East and West look quite spiffy. Lush green lawns, elegantly-curved walkways, period lighting and a brand new, permanent stage … the heart of Norwich has never looked better.

• Oh, and they had scallops wrapped in bacon, which always guarantees good press, FYI.

• Are you a local sports fan? If so, you’ll want to get your hands on a copy of Thursday’s paper … Pat Newell’s coming out with his yearly Fall Sports Preview, highlighting the upcoming action in football, soccer, and … whatever other sports they play in the fall! Seriously, though … it’s an exhaustive and comprehensive effort on Pat’s part to make sure every team in every sport gets covered, and I know parents and fans look forward to it each September. Check it out on newsstands tomorrow!